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Long shingles ordeal leaves me sore at VA

Perhaps I should have heeded the advice of retired NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw and his television commercials about receiving the shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine.

I did not, and I suffered with the effects of the disease.

After two months of relentless pain and headaches, my family physician advised that I receive the shingles vaccine (Shingrix) when my symptoms began to subside.

Being a Vietnam-era military veteran, I visited the Stuart VA location in July 2018 and inquired about the vaccine.

I was given the answer, "There is a nationwide shortage of the vaccine, and we have none at our location" and to check back in August.

I visited the Stuart VA location four times in August and got the same answer.

Attentive to my situation, I visited our Publix Pharmacy on Kanner Highway, Stuart, and was able to receive my shingles vaccine. My wife obtained her shingles vaccine at the Walgreens Pharmacy on Kanner Highway, Stuart.

Kudos to the pharmacists and staff at both. They were professional, knowledgeable, and attentive to our needs.

Unfortunately, this is not the only unfavorable issue I have encountered with the VA. I perceived a total lack of interest physical from a VA physician when I resided in Western New York State, and the West Palm Beach VA wrongfully billed my medical insurance when I visited only to obtain copy of a medical record.

After three subsequent billings, I had the issue resolved, only after turning the VA in for fraud to my medical insurance carrier.

With my fellow veterans, I believe we should receive service from the Department of Veterans Affairs that is second to none.